Thai National Parks

Species of Thailand

Viperine sea snake

Hydrophis viperinus

(Philipp Schmidt, 1852)

In Thai: งูชายธงท้องขาว, ngu chay thong khao

Hydrophis viperinus, commonly known as the viperine sea snake, is a species of venomous sea snake in the family Elapidae (Hydrophiinae).

Diagnostic characters

Scales hexagonal, juxtaposed, in 27–34 rows on the neck, 37–50 at midbody; ventrals 226–274, anteriorly about half the width of the body, narrowing posterior to about twice the width of the adjacent scales, or slightly less; head shields entire, nostrils superior, nasal shields in contact with one another; prefrontals longer than broad, not in contact with upper labials; 1, rarely 2, pre- and 1–2 postoculars; 7-9 upper labials, 3–5 bordering eye (sometimes only 3–4 or 4–5); usually 1 anterior temporal, occasionally 2 or 3; body color, more or less bicolored, gray above, white below, the two usually clearly demarcated on the sides, often with 25–35 dark rhomboidal spots, rarely with dark bands. Total length: males 925 mm, females 820 mm; tail length: males 100 mm, females 80 mm

Distribution

Northern coasts of the Indian Ocean and western Pacific: from the Persian Gulf to around India to Indonesia and southern China. IUCN lists the following countries: Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India (Andaman Is., Nicobar Is.), Indonesia, Iran Iraq, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.

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Scientific classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Reptilia
Order
Squamata
Suborder
Serpentes
Family
Elapidae
Genus
Hydrophis
Species
Hydrophis viperinus

Common names

  • English: Viperine sea snake
  • Thai: งูชายธงท้องขาว, ngu chay thong khao

Synonyms

  • Hydrophis viperinus, MONDAL et al. (2023)
  • Hydrophis viperinus, WANG et al. (2022)
  • Thalassophina viperina, Van Stanley Bartholomew Wallach et al. (2014)
  • Hydrophis viperinus, Kate Laura Sanders et al. (2012)
  • Thalassophina viperina, Arne Redsted Rasmussen et al. (2011)
  • Praescutata viperina, Vladimir Emelyanovich Kharin (2005)
  • Thalassophis viperina, David et al. (2004)
  • Praescutata viperina, R. C. Sharma (2004)
  • Praescutata viperina, Khan (2002)
  • Praescutata viperina, Jeroen van der Kooij (2001)

Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN3.1)

Least Concern (IUCN3.1)

Photos

No photo for this species yet

Range Map

Range map of Hydrophis viperinus in Thailand